


Food For Thought

by Red_Tigress



Series: All the Feels One Shots [7]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Angst, Drabble, Feelings, Food, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-22
Updated: 2012-11-22
Packaged: 2017-11-19 06:50:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 611
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/570409
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Red_Tigress/pseuds/Red_Tigress
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tony Stark substituted food for words when he didn't know what to say.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Food For Thought

Tony couldn’t tell them he’d been out of the cave for six days and he had only slept about eight hours. Every time he got near to sleeping, terror seized him like he’d never known and his eyes snapped awake.  He couldn’t tell them he had all the classic signs of PTSD. He couldn’t be anything other than Tony Stark.

So he ordered a cheeseburger.

And he only spoke of the future.

~AV~

Tony was dying. Tony was dying, and for once it wasn’t because of his stupidity. He wasn’t trying to drown himself in alcohol, or bury himself under money, or work himself into the ground. He was actually dying, and he didn’t know what to say. Didn’t know what to do. He made rash decisions, stupid decisions. But he was dying.  He had hoped Pepper might see through him so he wouldn’t have to explain himself.  But how could she when no one else could? He tried to tell her anyway.

He made her an omelette.

But the words wouldn’t come.

~AV~

Suddenly, Tony wasn’t dying. Mostly of his own will power and genius. But now he wanted that chance to say all the things he hadn’t had a chance to say before. To Pepper. She deserved…well, she at least deserved to know he was sorry. At least about the hassle he’d put her through. It wasn’t fair to her. And maybe, if Tony was completely honest with himself, she deserved to know about his feelings towards her.

So he brought her a box of strawberries.

And inwardly flinched when he realized he’d screwed that up too.

~AV~

Tony didn’t know what to say to the people he had just saved the world with. He didn’t know if he could trust them. He didn’t even know if he could even forgive them. Romanoff had spied on him. Steve had inadvertently stolen most of his childhood. Thor’s own brother had brought war to their planet. He had only known the “real” Hawkeye  a few hours. Bruce, well…ironically he trusted Bruce the most.

He felt he owed them…something. Bruce, at least, had saved him from becoming street meat. The rest had layed down their lives to repel an alien invasion. Even though it was Tony who’d flown the nuke into space, he’d be dead a thousand times over if the other five hadn’t accomplished what they had. He wasn’t sure how to thank them. He had only ever relied on himself, only had himself to rely on.

So he bought them all shawarma.

And he didn’t thank them out loud.

~AV~

Tony was five the first time he saw a cookie commercial on television. A woman was spreading dough into spoon-sized drops onto a cookie sheet, two children smiling gleefully at her. She smiled back at them. As the children bit into the light golden treats, looking at their mother with what could only be described as affection, he wondered if this is what his life had been missing.

So with the help of his butler Jarvis, he secured the ingredients. Baking was simple enough. The formulas were very scientific.  He grinned in anticipation.

He tried to give them to his parents. His mother had given an empty smile and walked right on by. His father had said baking was “women’s work”, scoffing angrily and throwing Tony a disappointed look.

Tony had tried to hide his tears from his father, speeding up to his room. He leapt onto his bed, burying his face into his pillow.

When Tony was five, he had tried to bake cookies.

He didn’t know how else to tell his parents he loved them.


End file.
